Rangers striker Ryan Naderi has picked up a ‘serious’ injury that could rule him out of the club’s Premiership title run-in.
The 22-year-old forward will miss at least the next two weeks before undergoing a scan to determine the extent of the problem.
Naderi, signed from Hansa Rostock in the winter transfer window, was taken off at half-time after scoring his first league goal in the 4-2 win over Dundee United at Ibrox last Saturday.
And manager Danny Rohl admits he doesn’t know whether the German will be fit enough to return before the end of the season.
Speaking ahead of his team’s trip to Falkirk on Sunday, Rohl was asked how Naderi was faring.
‘Not well,’ he said. ‘We assessed him, it’s a serious one. We don’t know when he’s back.
Ryan Naderi picked up a ‘serious’ injury after scoring against Dundee United at Ibrox last week
Rangers boss Danny Rohl must address several injury problems ahead of their visit to Falkirk
‘I think, in general, it is the kind of injury, a muscle injury, you have to look week by week.
‘We have to re-scan him in two weeks and then we will know more about how long.’
Naderi has struggled to find the net since his arrival in January – his only other goals were in the 8-0 Scottish Cup win over Queen’s Park – but Rohl has frequently praised his industry and his work out of possession.
Asked if there was hope that the player could return before the end of the season, Rohl said: ‘The hope is always there but I think we have to wait two weeks and then we see a little bit more, how it goes with the treatments, all those things.
‘It’s never nice when you lose players from your squad. Sometimes in football it happens and, for this, we need everyone in this squad, as I said many times.
‘I think Ryan has made a great impact since he arrived, not just the goals. He worked hard for this first goal but also a lot of work off the ball, against the ball, a lot of runs for the team.
‘But it is football, we have to look for a new solution. We have a lot of players that are available. They’re ready for this and, yes, we have to stick together.’
Naderi is one of several injury problems Rohl is wrestling with ahead of what is likely to be a demanding game at Falkirk. Tuur Rommens remains unavailable, while there are question marks over Andreas Skov Olsen and winger Mikey Moore.
Rommens, the 23-year-old full-back who signed from Westerlo in January, missed the win against Dundee United at the weekend, but his condition is improving.
‘Tuur had one more treatment this week,’ said Rohl. ‘It was very successful. This weekend will be too early but it looks great that he is back maybe the first, if everything goes well, but at the latest the second game in the split.’
Rohl has a decision to make in attack. After coming off the bench to score against Dundee United, Bojan Miovski is in contention to start alongside Chermiti.
That would enable them to continue with two strikers, but Rangers’ boss may also be tempted to adopt a formation that instead accommodates Thelo Aasgaard.
Full-back Tuur Rommens is expected to be back in Rangers’ starting line-up after the split
It will be a test of the Ibrox club’s resources as they enter the final stretch of the season. With six games to go, they are a point behind leaders Hearts, who are at home to Motherwell tomorrow. Third-placed Celtic are two points further back.
At this stage of the campaign, when there is so much at stake, every opponent is challenging, but Rohl’s side will have to be especially careful with Falkirk. During a memorable first season back in the Premiership, John McGlynn’s side have already secured a top-six finish and are looking forward to a Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline.
Both of the matches between Falkirk and Rangers this season have ended in a draw. The first, at the Falkirk Stadium, led directly to the dismissal of Rohl’s predecessor, Russell Martin.
With Rangers also scheduled to play McGlynn’s men on the last day of the season, Rohl understands and acknowledges the challenge presented by the side who have enjoyed a meteoric rise through the divisions.
‘First, big respect for Falkirk because they are playing a good season,’ said Rohl. ‘Good development, the manager has done a good job with them and not just the promotions.
‘Even now to make it into the first six in the table, this is a great achievement so far. They are still in the cup, this is nice for them as well.
‘They can just win and for some teams it is nice because in some moments you can also gamble, you can gamble more offensively with nothing to lose.
‘We want to win the final game before the split to have great opportunities then in the split.’
